Tag Archives: newsiness

I’m celebrating International Women’s Day by taking a moment to talk about sisterhood. Both my sister Lorraine and I started our own businesses in industries that can seem from the outside a total luxury. With interior design and beauty filling our Instagram feeds it can appear superficial and unimportant. But behind those squares we go deeper than just designing a perfect picture as we both share a passion to enhance the natural beauty of our client’s homes, face, or body and to make them feel happy in their own skin.

I started my interior design practice in 2013, I loved designing but I wanted to spend more time with my growing family. I wanted to have a more flexible lifestyle than my corporate career offered. I work more hours than I thought possible overseeing all areas of my business while organizing my family. But it is on my terms, around school pick-ups, bedtimes and school holidays. It’s a constant challenge but I love that my sons see their mum doing a job she loves. I have found the school playground a constant source of resource and support, leaning on so many amazingly talented mums that want to be there for the school pick up but also have a desire to do something they love.

I’m obsessed by creating beautiful homes that tell my client’s story. With most home renovation projects I work predominantly with the wife, listening to them to create their family’s dream home. It’s a privilege to be invited on such a personal journey with them to create a home that expresses their personally in a real and honest way. This might be creating a colour scheme that makes their heart sing or taking a special piece of furniture they already own feel relevant and refreshed within the new. Interior design is more than just a styled shoot. It’s about creating a grounded home a family love to come home to and where they can make happy memories.

Growing up our Grandad was very entrepreneurial before it was fashionable and our parents started a family business when we were at school so starting our own businesses never felt too scary as our family are always so supportive and told us three girls we could do anything. Lorraine, my youngest sister, realised a long-held dream by starting up a skin aesthetic brand with two London clinics and was voted Best London medi spa by Suitcasemagazine.com. Lorraine fell in love with skincare products and the way anti-ageing and rejuvenation treatments can not only enhance the way we look but also enrich our emotional wellbeing and self-confidence.

Lorraine takes time to hand pick skin treatments that achieve visible results for her clients. Her hands-on method allows her to help clients with life-long skin or hair concerns that make such a difference to the confidence of both men and women. When Lorraine asked me to design the Eden skin clinic within the globally renowned TONI&GUY in Kensington I was keen that we could capture her spirit and fresh approach to skin care. we worked hard to create a space that was not the stereotypical ‘female’ beauty salon but reflected the state-of-the-art non-invasive aesthetic treatments she specializes in such as the Venus freeze. The clinics interior is clean and bright with accents of colour and edited imagery and playful quotes that reflect the Eden brand philosophy. We were so proud to be featured by Hello magazine who described the clinic as an “oasis of calm”. While Stylenest felt that “the family touch gives a real comforting ambience to the clinics yet the sleek design makes them current and fresh.”

Design and beauty is always a personal journey and we both enjoy taking the time to closely work with so many amazing women to create homes that they enjoy every day, which reflect their values and personality or give them a new confidence in their own skin. It’s exciting to make such a difference and to be on this journey with my sister as we support and inspire each other by sharing ideas, tips and clients it’s a true family affair.

Today is a good day to think about the women in our lives. Mums, sisters, daughters and girlfriends and how we can all support and challenge each other to be our best selves, to be happy and to follow our dreams every day. Make IWD your day! – everyday!